Your biggest problems and
mine are people problems -- getting along with other people. "
James talks about "How do you get along with people? He gives us the
principle, the problem, and the application in this passage.

James is talking about prejudice, partiality, favoritism. He says
never treat anybody in a different way according to their outward
appearance.

In order to deal with favoritism, we need to look at some common
areas of discrimination.

1) Appearance - We discriminate often because of
appearance. Beauty is everything in our world. If you're a cute kid you've got
it made. If you're plain, tough luck!

2) Ancestry - We judge people according to their race,
their nationality, their ethnic background.

3) Age - You're too young or too old.

4) Achievement - Our society gushes over winners and
forgets the losers. One minute you're a hero and the next minute you're a zero.
Success and status are keywords.

5) Affluence - the most common distinction. We judge people
by their wealth -- whether they're rich or poor -- their economic status.

This is the area that James picks out of all the areas we can
discriminate in. He talks about economic distinction. James 2:2 "Suppose
a man comes to your meeting wearing gold rings and fine clothes and a
poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention
to the man wearing fine clothes and say `Here's a good seat for you' but say to
the poor man `You stand over there' or `Sit on the floor at my feet', have you
not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil
thoughts?"

James says there are two problems with favoritism.

1. Favoritism is unchristian. If you want to be like Jesus
you can't play favorites. "My brothers, as believers in our glorious
Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism." Faith and favoritism are
incompatible -- we're a family. “God does not play favorites.” Romans 2:11.
Jesus treated everybody with dignity.

2. Favoritism is unloving. That's why you shouldn't do it. "If
you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, `Love your neighbor as
yourself.' you're doing right." Why is it called the royal law?
Because if we obeyed that one we wouldn't need all of the rest. "Love
your neighbor as yourself." Galatians 5:14 "All the law is
summed up in one sentence, `Love your neighbor as yourself'." If I
play favorites I'm being unloving.

HOW TO TREAT PEOPLE RIGHT

1.
Accept everybody. "Accept one another just as Christ accepted you." Romans
15:7. That's a start -- acceptance. You don’t have to approve people’s behaviour
but you can accept them just as they are. That’s how Christ accepted you. Just
as you are.

2.
Appreciate everybody. This goes a little bit further than
acceptance. Philippians 2:35 "Do nothing from selfish ambition or vain
conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself. Each of you
should look not only to your own interest but also the interest of
others." Appreciate everybody. Find something you can like, not just
accept. Tell them so.

3.
Affirm everybody. Thess. 5:11 "Encourage one another and build each other
up." When people stumble, don't criticize, sympathize. Be an
encourager not a complainer, not a condemner, a critical person, not a judger.
You can encourage people just by smiling at them.

What is God saying in James? The church that accepts, appreciates
and affirms people is the church that God blesses. Absolutely nothing can stop
the church that's filled with love.

Answering Jehovah Witnesses from the NWT (Holy Spirit)

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the EVERLASTING GOSPEL to preach to every tongue...Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the COMMANDMENTS of God and the FAITH of Jesus", (Revelation 14:6-12)